


Safety Net

by banneroflupinsbones



Category: Uncharted (Video Games)
Genre: F/M, Self-Insert, Separation
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-10
Updated: 2018-02-21
Packaged: 2018-12-13 12:52:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,909
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11760285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/banneroflupinsbones/pseuds/banneroflupinsbones
Summary: You and Sam are looking for relics in disputed territory. Shoreline is looking for the same relics, and is starting conflict with residents of the town. You and Sam are separated...Will you find each other again?





	1. Separation

**Author's Note:**

> transferred from my deviantart account

You and Sam walked down a crowded street, trying to stick as close together as possible. You were uneasy and you could tell that Sam was too since he kept checking his surroundings, his hand never straying too far from his weapon. Your travels had brought you to a disputed territory: an entire town was under the control of a drug lord and Shoreline had just moved in because of rumored relics. Shoreline was invading the drug lord’s space, and the drug lord was more than willing to fight the invaders. There had been a few skirmishes between thugs and gangsters versus trained Shoreline mercenaries, leaving civilians fearing for their lives.

Shoreline knew that you, Sam, Nathan, and Sully were also looking for the treasure, but they thought that they had lost you on the other side of the country. The group of you had followed them carefully, making sure to lay low. The last time you had all been together, Nathan had discovered some clue which stated that the relics could either be on the outskirts of town, a few miles away, or near Shoreline’s search area. You all had drawn straws according to where you would go and who you would be partnered with. Of course, you and Sam got the more dangerous situation.

Sam had decided, to your chagrin, that it would be the best chance you would get if the two of you were to use the tension in the town to mask your presence, search for the relics, and leave. You wished that you had drawn the same straws as Sully, who most definitely was in an easier position and not as uppity as the Drake brothers.

“You doing okay, (Y/N)?” Sam asked as he looked at you briefly.

“Yep,” you nodded curtly, all of your senses on edge.

“That church up ahead seems like the most likely spot for what we’re looking for, but I’m pretty sure Shoreline knows that, too.”

“Yeah, hopefully we can get there before—”

Your speech was interrupted by a rapid burst of gunfire. You and Sam immediately ducked down as the people around you began to scream and panic. You quickly stood and whipped your head around, looking for where the shots came from. More shots echoed around the street, seeming to come from both ends of the road.

“(Y/N)! Grab my hand!” Sam yelled amidst the confusion.

You took his hand and he squeezed it tightly. He held on to you as he dragged you against the current of people and it took all of your strength to hold on to him. He glanced over his shoulder a few times to make sure that you were keeping up and his grip tightened even more. People were pushing against you and jostling you every which way. Your hands were becoming sweaty and you could feel your grip slipping on Sam.

“Hold on to me, (Y/N)!”

People pushed against you even harder and they pushed Sam in the opposite direction. Your hand slipped out of his and you grasped at air, which soon turned into the bodies and the clothing of different people. Your heart beat faster and louder and for the first time in a while, you were scared. You always felt safe and invincible around Sam, always knowing that you had each other’s backs. Your feelings for him grew as the years went on, and soon you realized that you were in love with him. You hadn’t told him and you weren’t sure he felt the same way, so you kept quiet, letting the pining for him get stronger and stronger. At that present moment, though, your love and safety net was getting further and further from you every second that passed.

Sam struggled against the mass of bodies to try and get back to you, and you did the same. You pushed as hard as you could but everyone in front of you acted as a brick wall against your efforts. You went on your tiptoes to look over the heads of those in front of you and caught a glimpse of Sam. He was looking frantically for you and you called out to him.

“(Y/N)! It’s gonna be alright! I’ll find you! Okay?” Sam fought against the crowd, trying to get a few more seconds so he knew you heard him.

You didn’t know if you’d ever see him again. It was now or never: “Sam! I love you!”

He stared into your eyes over people’s heads and fought against the mass again, but soon was out of sight as you lost your balance and fell into the crowd. You waved your arms and clung on to those around you, somehow managing to bring yourself upright. You let yourself move with the crowd and offered no resistance, knowing full well that you wouldn’t get anywhere if you struggled. You were still scared, your anxiety high, but you forced yourself to keep a clear head. You’d have time to panic later. The crowd moved closer to a small alleyway and you pushed towards it.

You felt as if you were thrown out of the mob when you got to the alleyway, the sheer release from the tight space relieving. You bent over, your hands on your knees, and you breathed heavily as you tried to calm down. You heard more gunfire and quickly stood, taking your gun out of its holster. You ran down the alleyway and ducked behind some crates when you came to the opening, seeing a Shoreline vehicle and armed mercenaries go by.

You clutched your gun closer to your chest and planned your next move. You knew you wouldn’t get anywhere if you didn’t have a plan. The first thing you were going to do was stay quiet and make your way to the church—even though that’s where Shoreline would probably be, but you also knew that’s where Sam would most likely be as well. You dug in your pocket, suddenly remembering your cell phone. You pulled it out and called Sam’s number, getting his voicemail. You swore under your breath and put the phone back in your pocket.

Looking out from behind the crates, you saw that the coast was clear and began to run towards the direction of the church. You knew that you’d probably have to find a different way because of the violence on the other street and you thought of climbing a building to see the best route, but you didn’t want to Shoreline to see you. You kept running and ducked into another alleyway at the sight or large men with even larger guns.

“Good. This is just great…” you muttered.


	2. The Church

Darkness was quickly blanketing the town. You had figured out where you were by climbing to a rooftop and carefully scanning your surroundings, only to find that you were a few miles away from the church. Right now you were jogging through the streets towards your destination, scared of what would happen if Shoreline found you. Gunshots and explosions were becoming a common soundtrack to your life at this point, and what you heard in the town was no different. Every now and then you would duck into an alleyway to avoid detection, each time thinking that this was the moment where it all ended—that Shoreline would make no hesitation in killing you outright. 

You turned down a dark and empty alley, thinking that it would be good to rest for at least a few moments. You leaned against the wall and took a drink from the canteen that you had been carrying in your backpack. Feeling vibrations in your pocket, you quickly took your cellphone out and saw that Nathan was calling you. You picked up and before you could say anything, he started yelling into the phone.

“(Y/N)! Thank God….Are you guys alright?” he asked.

“I’m fine, but I don’t know about Sam. We got separated and I don’t know where he is.”

“Crap…I was hoping he was with you—he hasn’t answered his cell.”

“Shit,” you muttered, your hand going to your forehead in worry as you began to pace.

“I’m sure he’s alright, (Y/N). He’s tough and capable.”

“Yeah. I figure he’s heading to the church, since that’s where we were heading before we were separated. So hopefully he’s there or will be soon.”

“It’ll be okay.”

You took a deep breath and stopped walking. “I know.”

“You’re pretty tough, too, (Y/N). If you get into any trouble, you’ll be able to fight your way out. So don’t worry about you, and don’t worry about Sam.”

“I’ll try not to. How are things on your end? Find anything?”

“Nah, there’s nothing here except for a bunch of rocks. It looks like the stuff we want is near you. Be sure to let me and Sully know when you find Sam, and then when you need a ride out of there.”

“Will do, Nate.”

“Hang in there, (Y/N). You’ve got this.”

Nathan hung up and you put your phone back in your pocket. You sighed and made your way out of the alley, going back in the direction that you had been headed. You were walking quietly when the hair on the back of your neck raised, like someone was watching you. You stopped in order to listen to you surroundings and felt something abruptly being pushed into the back of your head. Instinctively, you put your hands up. 

“Who are you? What do you think you’re doing here? Turn around,” a voice demanded.

You complied with whoever was speaking and turned, seeing a man dressed in a Shoreline uniform. He held a gun aimed at you and you swore under your breath before replying. 

“I’m just passing through. Fighting started on the streets earlier and when I tried to get away from it, I got lost. I’m just trying to find my way back to the hostel I’m staying at,” you said, not completely lying.

“Then why do you have a gun?”

“Oh, this?” you looked down at it. “I was hoping you wouldn’t notice.”

You lunged at the man and grabbed for his gun. You managed to push the nozzle of the weapon into the air so that when he fired, the shot went up and away from you. You kneed him in the groin at the same time as jamming the heel of your hand into his nose, and he doubled over in pain. You whipped your gun from its holster and pointed it at the man, opting to whack him on the back of the head instead of killing him. He fell to the ground heavily, unconscious. 

You heaved a sigh of relief and put your gun back, quickly picking up the mercenary’s weapon and running down the street. If there was one merc, there was sure to be more. You ran until your lungs felt like they would burst, making sure to keep moving in the same direction but taking different alleyways to get rid of anyone if they were tailing you. You skidded to a halt and slung the stolen gun on your back, ducking down behind Shoreline issued crates to look at what was before you. The church!

You eyed all of the mercenaries in front of you and saw numerous spotlights set up to illuminate the area. You sighed, knowing that it would be difficult to get into the church with all of that light. You moved around the outskirts of the illumination, making sure to stay out of sight. You hid every now and then as a mercenary passed you, but you continued on your way as soon as they had gone a little way away. 

You stopped behind a truck as you spotted a door on the side of the church. A spotlight was near it, covering the entryway with bright light. You followed the light’s power cord with your eyes and found that it met with an extension near you.

“Well if that isn’t pure convenience or dumb luck, then I don’t know what is,” you muttered.

You crouched and quickly unplugged the spotlight and then bolted for the door in the darkness. You heard someone shout to put the light back on and that someone must have tripped over the cord, and you smirked. They had no idea that you were here. You quickly opened the door and took a step inside, closing it behind you and locking it. You heaved a sigh of relief. 

It was dim in the stone hallway and you slowly moved forward, your gun drawn. Nate had been sure to acquire old blueprints of the church when the four of you had heard the treasure might be located there, and you were so grateful for his foresight. You had been sure to study the document and you were fairly certain that you had a decent idea of the layout of the building. You saw another doorway up ahead and listened at it before opening it. 

You closed it quietly and continued forward, recognizing this hallway as a side entrance to the crypts. You shivered at the sudden drop in temperature as you went down some stairs and then froze. A flashlight beam moved from an alcove to your right and your heart began to hammer in your chest. If you could stay hidden and quiet, Shoreline would never know you were in the church…and that would make your search for Sam and the treasure so much easier. 

You crept forward and shifted your pistol in your hand so that you held the barrel of the gun, and raised the weapon to strike. A figure came out from the alcove and you quickly brought the gun down but were abruptly stopped when a strong grip encircled your wrist. 

“(Y/N)?”

“Sam?!”

You threw your arms around his neck and he pulled you into a tight hug. He quickly released you and put his hands on the sides of your face, his eyes moving back and forth between yours. Relief showed in his face and he smiled. You holstered your gun and put your hands on his forearms, squeezing them.

“Thank God you’re safe. Are you alright?” he tucked some hair behind your ear then returned his hand to your cheek. 

“Yeah, I’m okay. Are you? Jesus, I was so scared,” you replied, your words coming out quickly. You were so glad that the two of you had been reunited. 

“I’m fine,” he chuckled before he became serious. “I thought I’d lost you back there.”

“I thought I’d lost you, too. I didn’t know if I would see you again.”

“I know…Did you run into any trouble on the way over here?”

Sam let go of you and took a step back, and you could see blood drying on the side of his face. You put one hand on his cheek and gently turned his head so you could get a better view of his wound. Sam leaned into your touch and looked at you out of the corner of his eye, a small smirk growing on his face. You lightly touched the scab that was forming on his face before taking your hand away.

“It looks like you did, Sam. I should’ve been there.”

“Eh, it was nothing I couldn’t handle. I’m just glad you’re safe, (Y/N).”

Suddenly, light flooded the area and you turned, your hand on your gun. Shoreline mercenaries blocked your exit on the stairs and the hall in back of you. Numerous guns were at you and you froze, your hands going up.

“Woah, woah, woah, fellas…We don’t want any trouble,” Sam said as he pushed you behind him protectively. 

“Throw your guns on the ground and put your hands on your heads,” someone ordered.

“So much for a stress-free reunion,” you muttered.

“Not in this line of work, honey,” Sam replied.


	3. Phone Call

Your hands were on your head, your weapons having been surrendered to the Shoreline mercenaries. You were told to follow the men in uniforms and some were behind you to make sure you couldn’t escape. Sam was at your side, his hands on his head and gun stripped of him as well. He bumped into you lightly as you walked, and you looked at him.

“It’s gonna be okay, (Y/N),” he said as he gave you a reassuring smile. 

You nodded and gave him a small smile in return. The Shoreline mercenary in back of you pushed you with the butt of his gun, urging you to move faster. You turned as you walked and glared at him. He stared back with steely eyes and a frown on his face. He pushed you again and you felt your anger beginning to bubble.

“Seriously buddy, lay off,” Sam said, trying to ease the tension before you got yourself into more trouble.

You faced forward and Sam moved closer to you. His presence at your side made you feel better, but you were starting to have anxieties over how the two of you would get out of this mess. He bumped you again and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly, prompting you to do the same thing. You mimicked his actions and he smiled. 

“So, uh, where are we going?” Sam asked the mercenaries. 

Silence. 

“Thanks, guys. Love being ignored,” you grumbled.

Sam let out a chuckle and you smiled at the sound. It grew quiet again except for the sounds of footsteps on the stone under your feet. 

“So, (Y/N)…the whole ‘I love you’ thing that happened earlier…” Sam looked at you and smirked.

“Oh, here we go…I’m never gonna hear the end of this, am I?” a blush creeped onto your cheeks.

“You love me, huh? You love me, (Y/N)?”

“Look, I said that because I thought I’d never see you again, okay?”

“But you do love me.”

You sighed and glanced at Sam. He had a grin on his face as he looked ahead of him, and you could see his eyes crinkle in mirth.

“Yes.”

“Ha, I knew it!”

“Yeah, because I told you!”

“No, because you’re really bad at hiding your true feelings. I’ve known for years.”

“No, you haven’t!”

“Yes, I have!”

“Hey lovebirds, shut the hell up and keep moving!” a mercenary interrupted. 

“We are moving!” you and Sam said in unison.

The two of you glanced at each other with smirks on your faces after you had spoken. There was a door at the end of the hallway, and you were getting close to it. One of the mercenaries in front of you opened it and gestured for you and Sam to go in. You cautiously entered first and you felt Sam being pushed in behind you. The door closed behind Sam and it suddenly grew dark.

“I hope you’re not afraid of the dark, Sam,” you said as you tried to open the door. It wouldn’t budge, and some light filtered in from the cracks around the edges. 

“Octopuses? Yes. The dark? No,” Sam answered and you could hear him flicking his lighter, trying to ignite it. 

“You’re scared of octopuses? Really?” you said in disbelief, turning towards Sam’s voice.

“Yep. They have too many appendages. I don’t trust ‘em.”

You laughed and the room was filled with a soft glow from Sam’s lighter. You noticed the way the light accentuated the lines on his face, the dark circles around his eyes. He always looked tired and weary, like he would never catch up on the rest he hadn’t had in prison. You felt bad and wished that he would just take it easy for a while, but knowing Sam, he never would. He looked at you and then shyly looked away, his brows furrowing as he tried to think of something to do so he wouldn’t have to admit that he was taken in by your beauty. 

You began to walk around the edges of the room, looking for anything that could aid in your escape. You wondered if Sam felt anything for you, because he hadn’t admitted any feelings. You felt like somewhat of an idiot for letting yours be known without knowing if he would return them, and you suddenly grew self-conscious. 

“Sam, if my…confession, or whatever you want to call it…is going to make things awkward between us, I’m really sorry. I wish I would’ve just kept my mouth shut,” you said, coming to a stop.

“Awkward? Jesus, no! It’s fine,” he gave you a smile.

“O-okay. Good.”

You had hoped that he would reveal some sort of feelings, but he hadn’t. You felt your heart drop. Silence settled around you and you slid down the wall to sit on the floor. Sam continued to look around the room and then turned to you and shrugged, not knowing what to do. 

“May I?” he gestured to the floor next to you. 

“Oh, yeah. Sure.”

Sam let out a small groan as he sat down and you smiled. 

“Knees bothering you, old man?” 

“Old man, my ass. I’m aging like fine wine.”

You let out a laugh and he grinned at your reaction. You stretched your legs out in front of you and leaned your head against the wall. Sam laid a gentle hand on your thigh and you stared at it. There was no way that he would do this if he was interested in being just friends. He started to rub his thumb lightly over the fabric of your jeans and you cleared your throat uncomfortably, your heart starting to race. Sam startled and instantly drew his hand back. 

“Sorry, I—” 

“It’s fine,” you said quickly. 

“I think I owe you something, (Y/N).”

Sam stood and began to pace back and forth in front of you. He still held the lighter and the flame was flickering from the breeze from his movement. He pulled a cigarette from the packet in his pocket with his free hand and lit it. He took a deep inhalation and held the smoke in his lungs for a few seconds before blowing it out. 

“I, uh…I’ve known you’ve had feelings for me for a while. Like I said. And I’m sorry I didn’t address them sooner,” he met your eyes briefly. 

“Okay…” you were unsure of what he was trying to say. 

“I didn’t address them because I really like you.”

“Wait—I’m confused. Why didn’t we just agree that we have mutual feelings and then do something about it?” 

“Because I didn’t want to hurt you,” he took another drag from his cigarette.

“Hurt me? Are you kidding me, Sam? How could you hurt me?”

“I’m a pretty shitty person, (Y/N).”

“Jesus Christ. Is that it?” you rolled your eyes and got to your feet.

“What do you mean, ‘is that it’?” he met your eyes and took another drag, slightly dumbfounded. 

“I expected you to say something, I don’t know, incredible or insane. But here you are, just saying that you’re a shitty person. I am too, Sam, if you haven’t noticed. I feel like it’s part of the job description.”

“God, I love you…”

Your face flushed and you felt your heart beat faster. Sam threw his cigarette on the stone floor and took a step closer to you, reaching out to lightly caress your cheek. He leaned towards you and wrapped his free hand in your hair, pulling your head closer to his. You clutched the front of his jacket in anticipation. You could feel his breath dancing over your lips and he was going to kiss you….

Your cell phone rang loudly and you felt it vibrating in your pocket. 

You instantly drew back from Sam and quickly pulled your phone out. You saw that it was Nathan and accepted the call, putting it on speaker.

“(Y/N), are you alright? Have you found Sam yet?”

“Hey, Nate,” you answered.

“Hey, little brother,” Sam grinned.

“Why the hell didn’t you answer your phone, Sam?!” Nathan exclaimed.

“Ah. Well. It may or may not be dead.”

“Are you kidding me? I told you to charge it last night!”

“And I did. I just wasted a lot of the battery looking at these things called memes. Nathan, they’re hilarious.”

You snorted and Sam looked at you, a questioning expression on his face but a smile on his lips. Nathan groaned and you knew he was rolling his eyes. 

“So, we may have gotten ourselves into a little predicament…” you stated, trying to get your rescue in progress. 

“What kind of predicament?” you heard the skepticism in Nate’s voice.

“Uhh, well, Shoreline found us,” Sam answered.

“Crap.”

“If you and Sully want to come save us, that would be great,” you said. 

“We’ll be there soon. Where are you guys?” Nathan asked.

“The church.”

The conversation lulled for a moment and you thought that your call had been disconnected. 

“Nathan?” Sam called his brother’s name.

“Yeah, I’m here. You guys got yourselves in a shitty situation, you know that, right?”

Sam chuckled slightly and fumbled in his pocket for another cigarette. 

“Yeah, we know,” you said as you nudged Sam in the side with your elbow. 

“We’ll be there to get you soon. Please, please don’t get into any more trouble. Stay where you are,” Nathan begged.

“You got it, little brother. We will definitely get into more trouble, isn’t that right, (Y/N)? That’s what you said to do, right, Nathan?”

“Go to hell, Sam. See you soon.”

The call disconnected and Sam grinned at you.


	4. The Riddle

“Well, there’s nothing to do but wait, I guess,” you sighed.

“I can think of a few other things…”

Sam put a gentle hand around the back of your neck and pulled your lips to his. Your eyes fluttered closed and your heart began to pound, and Sam wrapped his free arm around your waist. Your head was beginning to spin in a mixture of excitement and passion. You couldn’t help but lose yourself to Sam’s embrace and his kiss, and your knees wobbled. You had wanted to do this for so long and your emotions were running high. You never wanted this moment to end. 

You reluctantly broke the kiss and took a deep breath. Sam began to kiss your jawline, slowly moving to your ear, then down your throat. Goosebumps raised on your skin at his touch and you shivered under his lips. He moved your hair away from your neck to expose more skin and trailed his lips over you, barely touching you. You closed your eyes and put a hand on his arm, your fingers gripping his denim jacket. 

The door slammed open. Sam quickly pulled away and shoved you behind him, protecting you from whatever was to come. Two Shoreline mercenaries stood in the doorway, their guns trained on the both of you. You could see two more behind them. 

“Out. Now,” the larger mercenary ordered, gesturing with his gun. 

“Put your hands on your heads,” another said. 

You and Sam complied, and the two mercs that stood in the doorway moved to the side to allow you to pass. The two other Shoreline mercenaries led you down the hallway and down the stairs to where you had found Sam. 

“Hey, uh, fellas…Why are we going back down here?” Sam asked.

“Sam, don’t you know that it’s pointless to ask these buffoons anything?” you asked, scowling at the uniformed men around you.

“Ah. I forgot,” Sam offered you a cheeky grin and you couldn’t help but give him a small smile in return. 

Shoreline had set up lights in the stairway and along the hallway. The mercenaries led you through the maze of crypts and to an opening in the wall that you hadn’t noticed before. The Shoreline operatives ushered you through it, and you saw that it opened into a cavernous space. Sconces were lit around the circular room and in the middle of it stood a rectangular slab of stone, someone standing near it. You looked at the ceiling and nearly lost your balance as you craned your neck to see the whole thing. It was decorated with numerous constellations that seemed to be lit from behind, twinkling in the dim light. 

Once you had reached the center of the room, you noticed that there were more Shoreline operatives, much to your chagrin. The ones that had escorted you to the room took positions blocking the opening that you came through. Three new mercenaries took places at your sides. Your arms were starting to ache at how long you had been forced to hold them above your head.

“Well, well, well…Isn’t it Samuel Drake, the brother of the infamous Nathan Drake, and…What’s your name?” the man behind the slab said.

You looked at him in annoyance and rolled your eyes. You thought about spitting at him, but knew better than to annoy whoever this asshole was. He stood taller than you, almost at Sam’s height, and he had dark hair. He wore a bulletproof vest. 

“If you think about it, I’m as infamous, if not more so, than my brother, actually,” Sam offered, shrugging.

“I don’t want to think about it, and I didn’t ask you,” the man moved closer to you and ran a rough hand lightly across your cheek. You jerked away. “I asked this one what her name is.” 

“Why does it matter?” you asked. 

“Because I want to know who I kill.”

Your stomach dropped. You knew this could be an empty threat, but the man terrified you for some reason. You looked into his eyes, seeing at how they almost looked lifeless, and your blood turned cold. Sam took a step towards you and the mercenaries raised their guns at him.

“Okay, okay…” Sam moved back and you felt scared and alone, even though you knew he was right behind you. 

“Can I put my hands down?” your arms were starting to go numb.

“It doesn’t matter to me,” the man shrugged.

You and Sam put your arms down, and you were thankful when you felt the blood moving towards your fingers again. 

“Can I smoke?” Sam asked, moving a hand to his pocket but stopping before he reached inside. 

The man across from you jerked his head towards Sam and one of the Shoreline members moved towards Sam, pulling out his cigarettes and lighter from his pocket. He handed them to Sam and then moved back, his gun going back to its trained position. Sam pulled a cigarette from the box with his teeth and then lit it. 

“So…Who are you, and what exactly did you bring us here for?” he asked. 

“My name is Lamoreaux. And I brought you here because the two of you were stupid enough to get yourselves caught, and because I need you to answer something for me.”

“Like what?” you looked at the stone slab.

“This.” Lamoreaux gestured at what you were looking at. 

“What’s so special about it?” Sam asked, flicking ash from his cigarette.

“It will lead us to the relics we all so desperately crave. There’s a riddle blocking our path, however.”

“And you need our help because you’re all ridiculous dumbasses,” you scoffed. 

Before you knew what was happening, you heard quick footsteps behind you and something hard hit the back of your knees. You instantly collapsed to the ground. 

“Hey!”

Sam threw his cigarette down and was going to slug the mercenary that had caused you to fall when he was met with the sight of the other men raising their guns at him, their safeties off. He raised his hands in surrender and took a few steps back, an apologetic look on his face as he met your eyes. You looked at him in understanding and raised a hand, nodding at him. 

“I’m fine,” you said. 

You were in the process of getting up when the same mercenary kicked you down again.

“Stay down if you know what’s good for you,” Lamoreaux said.

“We’re not going to do what you want,” you said.

“You will if you know what’s good for you.”

“Asshole,” you muttered.

The mercenary kicked you in the stomach and you curled up on the floor, pain throbbing in your abdomen. 

“(Y/N)!”

Sam made a move towards you but two men grabbed him by the arms and held him back. Lamoreaux knew that the only way he would get Sam to cooperate was if you were put in danger, leaving Sam to do Lamoreaux’s bidding. You knew it, too. 

The mercenary that had knocked you down began kicking you again and you curled up, protecting your face with your arms and your stomach with your knees. Another merc came from across the room and pulled your from your curled position, holding you down. The other straddled you and began punching you in the face. You felt pain and then the blood pouring from your nose and split lip. 

“Leave her alone!” Sam yelled, fighting against the men holding him back.

“Then do what I want,” Lamoreaux suggested as he casually leaned against the slab, crossing his arms.

“Don’t do it, Sam!”

You cried out in pain as the man on top of you aimed a punch directly to one of your lower ribs. You closed your eyes and grimaced.

“Stop! Stop! I’ll do what you want!”

The mercenary slowly got off of you and went back to his place by his buddies. You continued to lay on the floor, clutching where the man had punched you in the ribs. You looked at Sam, blood dripping from your face and he looked back at you, his face full of sorrow and guilt.

“Good. Come here, Samuel.”

Lamoreaux went to the back of the stone slab and looked at it. Sam was let go and slowly followed him, trying to stop by you to see if you were okay, but he was pushed towards the other evil man. Sam rounded the corner and stopped, seeing writing on the stone. 

“Read it out loud—maybe your friend, here, can help you,” Lamoreaux ordered. 

Sam cleared his throat and began to read:

“People seek me for their entire lives, but we may never meet.  
I always seem to care for those more fortunate and neat.  
I bless those who dare and take a chance,   
Those who I grace are brave enough to seek.   
I oft seem soft and graceful, but when faced with truth am not seen as meek.  
When I am scorned I am difficult to defeat.   
When I kill it is slow, but when I live it is a feat.”

Lamoreaux let out a deep sigh through his nose and looked at Sam. “So? What’s the answer?”


	5. Andromeda and Perseus

You listened to the riddle, knowing the answer almost immediately. You looked at Sam and he gave you an almost imperceptible nod—he knew it, too. You slowly moved to a sitting position, a hand still on your ribs. You eyed the mercenary that had beat you untrustingly, wondering if he was going to hurt you again. 

“What’s the answer, Samuel?” Lamoreaux asked. 

“I’m not saying unless you let me help (Y/N),” he replied, his eyes hardening. 

“Do what you wish.”

Sam rushed to you and knelt down. He tucked your hair behind your ears, his fingers lingering over your wounds. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a handkerchief which he lightly pressed to your split lip. He then began to wipe the blood from under your nose and chin. 

“Are you alright?” Sam asked softly. 

You nodded. You looked over Sam’s shoulder at Lamoreaux and scowled; he looked at you with a slight grin on his face in return. 

“I’m so sorry, (Y/N). I’m so, so sorry. It should’ve been me.”

“It’s okay, Sam. It’s not your fault.”

Sam wanted to hug or kiss you to reassure you that everything would turn out well in the end, but he didn’t want to hurt you more. Sam got to his feet and offered you his hands, which you took. He pulled you to your feet and put a gentle arm around your waist, trying to offer support as well as to comfort. 

“What’s the answer?” Lamoreaux asked again.

“It’s love,” you answered. 

Sam looked at you and gave you a half-smile, which didn’t quite reach his eyes. You gave him a small one in return. Lamoreaux rolled his eyes and gestured for the two of you to come closer with a finger. You and Sam took a cautious step forward, and you saw that in the middle of the slab was a stone dial. You looked at it, puzzled. You didn’t know what it was for, or how it related to the riddle. You didn’t even know how the riddle related to finding a treasure at all, considering there was nothing to submit your answer to. 

“Look at this.”

Lamoreaux moved to the side of the slab, and you and Sam took his place. You reached out and put a hand on the dial, about to turn it.

“Don’t,” Sam whispered. 

You drew your hand back and Lamoreaux looked at you with a critical eye.

“What are you doing? Why aren’t you turning it?” he asked.

“Why didn’t you turn it?” you retorted. 

“Quit it with the attitude, or you’ll soon find yourself dead.”

Your stomach dropped and you felt a shiver run up your spine as a result of fear. You knew this man was not giving you empty threats, but promises. Sam pulled you closer to him, his grip on your side tightening. You grimaced in pain at Sam’s reaction, and he instantly apologized, releasing you slightly. 

You reached out again, taking a deep breath as you placed your hand on the stone. You looked at Sam and he nodded, still by your side. You turned the dial and the room suddenly became brighter. You looked at the ceiling and noticed that the stars you had seen when you first came in had illuminated at least fifty percent more. 

“I hope you know something about astronomy, Sam.”

“I’m…passable.” 

You rolled your eyes and turned the dial again. Different constellations would become brighter with every notch on the dial. You thought about the answer to the riddle again, wishing that you knew more about the stars in order to see how they correlated. 

“Okay, okay, okay…that one’s Pegasus…” Sam pointed; you turned the dial again. “That’s Cetus, and then there’s Cepheus, Cassiopeia, and Andromeda.” 

“Which constellation matches the riddle?” Lamoreaux asked.

“Well, I would say Andromeda and Perseus, but Perseus isn’t there. Their story is that Perseus saved Andromeda because she was chained to a rock by her parents, sentenced to die; Poseidon sent Cetus to destroy Cepheus’s kingdom—Andromeda’s dad—because his wife, Cassiopeia, bragged about Andromeda’s beauty,” Sam took a breath, excited. “In order to prevent the kingdom from being destroyed, an oracle advised them to sacrifice Andromeda. Perseus saved her and then killed Cetus and another dude in order to prevent Andromeda’s death. Basically they fell in love and have become a constellation symbolizing romance and affection.”

“So the answer is Andromeda?” Lamoreaux asked, pushing you to the side in order to turn the dial himself. 

You suddenly heard gunfire. Sam pushed you down behind the slab, taking the chance to battle Lamoreaux for his gun. You tackled the man’s legs and Sam went for his middle, causing Lamoreaux to drop the gun he had taken from its holster. It clattered to the floor and you lunged for it, grabbing it and then turning on your back. You pointed the gun at Lamoreaux’s head, your finger on the trigger. 

“If you don’t kill him, he’ll kill you, (Y/N),” you whispered to yourself.

There was a loud bang. Blood splattered on you and your hands shook. Sam looked at you, his eyes concerned and a look of disbelief on his face. The echoes of gunfire reverberated around you, but you ignored them and continued to stare into Sam’s eyes.

“Are you alright?” Sam yelled, ducking as bullets flew by.

You were speechless—you had never actually killed anyone before. 

“(Y/N), are you alright?” Sam asked more forcefully.

You nodded, still in shock from what you had just done. Sam looked above the slab and grinned, seeing Nathan and Sully. The gunfire ceased and you heard a body fall.

“Are you kids okay?” Sully called out. 

“Yeah, we’re good!” Sam replied.

Sam got up and helped you stand, which you did shakily. You still gripped the gun but let it fall, watching it hit the ground. Sam pulled you into a hug and squeezed you tightly. You ignored the pain in your ribs and hugged him back, burying your face into his chest. 

Nathan jogged over to the two of you, Sully close behind. He looked at you with concern and Sam nodded at him reassuringly, wordlessly telling him that you were alright. 

“Okay, good,” Nathan said, relieved that you were fine. 

“So, what do we have here?” Sully looked at the slab, reading the riddle and glancing at the dial. 

“The last barrier to the treasure, I think…” Nathan said with wonder and excitement in his eyes.


End file.
